


Full City

by Phosphorescence



Category: Steven Universe (Cartoon)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon, Alternate Universe - Coffee Shops & Cafés, F/F, Fluff, Prior To The Events Of Gem Harvest, Very Low Key Angst, low key angst
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-02-22
Updated: 2017-02-22
Packaged: 2018-09-26 06:36:00
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,191
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9871787
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Phosphorescence/pseuds/Phosphorescence
Summary: Lapis and Peri managed to land jobs in a coffee shop in Empire City and are living in an apartment together.





	

**Author's Note:**

  * For [C0NN3X10N5](https://archiveofourown.org/users/C0NN3X10N5/gifts).



"How are you settling in? Is Peridot okay? Are you okay?" Steven worriedly asks through the cellphone. 

"Steven, you left six minutes ago. Peridot and I are fine", Lapis says with a small smile at Steven's eternally caring nature. 

"Okay...", Steven says hesitantly. "But don't forget to call if you need anything! You have my number, which is this number. Hehe. I'll see you guys soon! Good luck with the coffee making! Goodbye! Guys, say goodbye!“.

Lapis hears a ‘Goodbye Lapis’, a ‘Bye L&P’, and a 'Watch out for the piano'. 

She looks up just in time to see a non functional piano barrelling in her direction with a very frazzled Peridot, her hands gripping her yellow hair at the top of the stairs shouting, "LAPIS! WATCH OUT!" 

Lapis drops the phone and instantly mobilises her wings and flies up to catch the piano in midair to prevent it from being demolished. Again.

She flies up to Peridot with the piano still in tow. Peridot still looks very distraught despite the aversion to disaster.

"I would have been fine if it landed on me, you know”, Lapis says with an effortless midair piano carrying nudge to Peridot’s shoulder. 

A blush appears on Peridot’s green cheeks, “Err, well, I don’t like seeing any harm come to you despite how strong I know you are…”

Lapis feels her own face heat up a little, a phenomenon she has noticed with increasing frequency occurring around Peridot. 

Distracted by her own thoughts the grip she has on the large instrument loosens momentarily. 

They both look down just in time to see the loud crash as all of the keys smashing against the floor. 

"Oops".

 

“Hi! I hope I didn’t keep you guys waiting too long!” a woman holding several brown bags greets the pair standing in front of the coffee shop.

"Not at all. Only three of your earth hours have passed since the Sun rose indicating your hours of productivity as the diurnal creatures you are. Compared to gems such as Lazuli and myself of course", Peridot says gesturing at Lapis and herself, to which Lapis acknowledges with a slight elevation of her arm.

“You’ve been waiting here… for three hours?” the woman’s drains of it's colour, her eyes widening, “I’m so, so sorry! Did I tell you guys the wrong time? I should have been more careful!”

A look of puzzlement graces Peridot’s face, “I believe you told us to be here by 0800 hours. We were told by Steven to arrive earlier than the specified time to maintain an air of professionalism”. She then turns towards Lapis, “Were we not early enough?”

“Oh! Um… You definitely don’t have to come this early, guys!” the woman laughs with a look of complete relief. “Well I should open this place up, you must be freezing in those getups. Welcome to A Couple of Grounds For A Rest!”. 

Once they are inside, the woman introduces herself as Kaldi Smiley. She gives them their aprons and name tags and they begin their intensive, weeklong barista training. 

“Hello?”

Lapis flicks her eyes from her manga to look at the plaid toting customer.

“Welcome to A Couple of Grounds For A Rest, also known as `The Grounds’. State your order”.

“Um, could I get a chai latte?”

“Which size?” she asks.

“Oh, right. The biggest one”, he says.

Lapis turns slightly still reading and yells, “Peridot! Chai latte! The big one!”

“Yes, sir!”, Peridot says performing a military salute from the kitchen with much vigour.

Utilising her metal powers, and aided by adjustments she had made to the machine in the previous week, the chai latte is prepared in approximately 17 seconds.

Peridot carries the cup to the bench with a smug expression in tow.

“Here is your sucrose laced spiced leaf water, human”, Peridot says with her trademark smirk handing it over with a spoon twirling in the coffee with no hands directing it’s movement.

“Wow! That was the quickest I’ve ever seen any drink made. Thanks, Peridot and… Bob?”

“No prob”, Lapis says slightly smiling as she and Peridot high-five.

And thus, a routine is established.

 

The rays from the dawning Sun filtered in through the windows illuminating the plethora of beloved plants and scraps of dozens of projects they are working on. The faint sounds of the traffic from below and the drama on Camp Pining Hearts Season 3 fill the apartment. 

Peridot involuntarily scoffs in response to Paulette’s latest attempts at homewrecking the optimal coupling of Percy and Pierre via the power of dance.

“This is baseless drivel! Percy and Pierre would have the rest of the camp at their mercy if they were to engage in a ‘so-called’ dance. Absolute tomfoolery!”, she exclaims.

“Mmm”, Lapis agrees.

While Peridot continues to air her frustrations about the Canadian campers Lapis, feels a rush of affection fill her up and curls her arm around Peridot’s shoulders gently shuffling along the couch bringing them closer together. 

Peridot subconsciously adjusts her body into Lapis’s form all while still continuing her rant. It was one of her long rants, Lapis notes smiling into Peridot’s soft hair and tangling their legs together.

Peridot stutters slightly as she takes notice of their positions. 

“Err, Lapis?” Peridot says with a tinge of dark green on her cheeks.

“Is this okay?” Lapis replies lightly nudging her head further into Peridot’s hair.

“I like it”, Peridot says quietly pleased.

“I like it too”.

 

Dusk is approaching when their shift ends. Lapis leans her back against the cool glass near the entrance waiting for Peridot to finish up after what felt like a very long shift. 

She didn’t understand how humans could do this for large swaths of their short lives. Despite the lack of physical labour, the act of interacting with humans was exhausting. Perhaps humans felt this way towards their own kind too after working such a job? 

Lapis shrugs to herself, she didn’t really care. Although, she does admit, it is not all bad. 

She turns her head and watches Peridot through the window adjusting the cutlery with her metal powers. 

Lapis turns back and looks at the sky, she couldn’t fully comprehend it but something between Peridot and her felt… different compared to their time in the barn.

Her interactions with Peridot these days made her heart sort of ache in a way that it had not done so before in her many years. A large portion of those years she spent trapped of course, she notes bitterly.

Casting those thoughts aside to focus Peridot, she notices herself instantly feeling better. She didn’t understand why but she welcomed it. 

Nothing had happened between them, had it? 

Well, she thinks, Peridot does act more skittish around her…

Suddenly, she feels a sensation of fur caressing her legs interrupting her thoughts.

She looks down to see a set of hazel eyes staring back at her, the bushy grey coat of fur rubbing herself against Lapis. 

Lapis crouches and holds out her hand watching the creature brush her face against Lapis’s fingers with a gentle expression. Reciprocating the gesture, she strokes the creature’s fluffy head. Lapis hears her making a soft purring sound and her heart melts.

“LAPIS. IT’S A CAT!” Peridot yells excitedly from the entrance, waving her small arms around. 

The cat hides herself behind Lapis’s legs in response.

“Peridot, you’re scaring the cat”, Lapis chastises with an unimpressed look at Peridot.

Peridot throws the cat a look of indignation, “But I’ve always wanted to meet a cat!”

Attempting to forge a connection, Peridot crouches down and holds out her hand.

The cat stares at her unflinchingly, making no move to interact with her.

“Let’s go home, Lapis”, Peridot says sullenly as she stands.

“Okay. Bye, cat”, Lapis says giving the cat a final stroke, the cat meows in response and then turns to Peridot. She strokes herself against Peridot’s legs before running off into the ending night.

Peridot was silent before passionately shouting, “DID YOU SEE THAT? SHE RUBBED HERSELF AGAINST ME!”

“She sure did”, Lapis replies with amusement at her companion’s feline enthusiasm back at full force.

“Humans like to name their animals, right? She needs name then! What name should we give her? You have the honours, Lapis”.

“Hmm… How about Iris?” Lapis suggests after some deliberation.

“Excellent name, Lapis”, Peridot says nodding approvingly.

They give each other a smile before heading back home.

 

The Grounds is unusually empty for a Sunday night.

Inside in the seating area, Peridot scrubs at a stain on the table, refusing to fade no matter how much friction she applies, “Nghh! Out damned spot!”

At the bench, Lapis flicks through Critik der reinen Vernunft, her desperate fingers quickly flick through each page, devouring the book.

Soft piano flows through the radio. Both pause.

Peridot feels something strange overtake her and she walks over to Lapis. 

They look at each other for a brief beat and Peridot flings her hand at Lapis as an offer. 

Peridot feels a shiver in the nape of her neck as Lapis’s fingers grip on to her own. 

Lapis slowly walks out from behind the counter with Peridot’s hand still in tow and she looks at Peridot. 

Peridot feels herself gulp. 

Lapis leads them to the lounge and holds onto Peridot by the waist with her other arm. Peridot responds by placing her free hand on Lapis’s shoulder. 

Their eye contact remains unbroken.

Lapis slowly guides them across the orange tiles. 

Smells of coffee aroma thick in the air, wafting around the pair. 

Lapis’s hears her shallow breaths reflect Peridot’s as they dance.

Lapis sees a crease on Peridot’s forehead and then the very tight grip she has on her. 

She pauses. Am I being too controlling, Lapis thinks. 

Her heart sinks, and her vision goes out of focus. No, please no. Not with Peridot, her thoughts frantic. 

She loosens her grip but Peridot’s clasp is firm and not letting go of Lapis's hand. 

Lapis looks at Peridot to see a unwaveringly tender smile directed at her.

“Let’s finish this dance. Together”, Peridot says gently as if reading her mind. 

Lapis feels an overwhelming sense of love towards Peridot.

Ah, she thinks. So that is what is different.

“Shall we?”, Peridot asks.

And together, they find a rhythm. 

 

“Hey, Lapis?” Peridot asks from above her.

“Yeah?” Lapis replies shifting her head on Peridot’s shoulder to look at her face, her forehead slightly creased and her voice higher pitched than usual.

“I… er”, Peridot stops and looks at the ceiling making noise of frustration. “I think Virgo is crooked”.

They both look up at the glow in the dark stars from their positions in the bathtub.

“Yeah”, Lapis replies.

“We should fix it”.

“Yeah”.

A moment passes.

“Also, I fixed the piano”, announces Peridot in lieu of something else.

“Really? Thanks, Peridot”.

Another moment passes.

“ARGH! OKAY. I’M GOING TO SAY IT!” Peridot shouts with much bravado.

Lapis waits.

Peridot clears her throat, "The Earth has orbited the Sun within the solar system we now reside in exactly one time since we met, ahem, the regrettable incidences that took place on… And within that orbital period, there is no life form in this universe that I would have rather shared my time with than you. I just wanted you to know that… I needed you to know”.

"Peri..." Lapis says, her voice cracking. 

A look of alarm immediately crosses Peridot's features, “Lapis, I’m sorry! Did I err… say something to make you upset?”

Lapis shakes her head and turns around to slowly wrap her arms around Peridot tucking her head in Peridot’s shoulders. She holds onto to her tightly and Peridot hugs her back

“You set me free, Peri. Thank you”. Lapis says quietly into Peridot’s shoulder. 

Peridot feels a tightness in her chest and hugs her tighter.

Lapis places her forehead on Peridot's and they close their eyes. 

Lapis thinks that if she had to chose any moment in her life to replay for the rest of her life it would be this one.

  

The brisk autumn air renders the park almost bare. 

Although their bodies do not require such thermoregulatory measures Lapis and Peridot don a pair of matching sweaters, a gift from Steven because they looked ‘so cute but even cuter together’. 

Iris appears out of nowhere and hops on the bench they are on.

They both greet Iris by stroking her head to which she meows in response.

Iris then climbs onto Peridot’s lap and rests.

Peridot grins gleefully stroking a purring Iris, “She actually likes me, Lapis”.

“How could she not”, Lapis laughs leaning her head on Peridot’s shoulder.

They sit like that for a while. Lapis looks down at one point to find Peridot's hand holding onto her's. A perfect fit. 

A orangey brown leaf makes it’s way down from one of the many trees and Lapis catches it by it's stem offering it to Peridot. It's papery texture crinkles softly as Peridot accepts the gift.

Lapis brushes her hand against Peridot’s warm cheek and places a kiss on her head.

“I’m home”.


End file.
